Michelle Obama Re-Introduces Herself To America
Posted on August 25, 2008 at 11:26 pm“People like Hillary Clinton, who put those 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling, so that our sons and daughters can dream a little bigger and aim a little higher.” ~ Michelle Obama
SEE ALSO:
Associated Press
Transcript
Ben Smith
LA Times
All in the family
National Review
Nathan Moore
Fore Left
Lean Left
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Gore Likely to Host Obama Fundraiser In Nashville
Posted on July 18, 2008 at 1:04 pmThose Obama supporters out there feeling left behind by Barack Obama’s lack attention to Tennessee may be in for some excitement relatively soon. Post Politics has learned that a conference call took place this morning to make arrangements to bring the Democratic Presidential nominee to Nashville.
On the call were operatives in the Chicago campaign office of Barack Obama, Obama supporters here in Tennessee as well as a representative of former Vice President Al Gore, Beth Alpert.
The purpose of the call was to discuss the possibility for a Gore-hosted Obama fundraiser right here in Nashville, Tennessee before the Democratic National Convention in late August.
Preliminary plans call for two events. One would be a private high dollar affair possibly at the home of Al & Tipper Gore, the other a more public event at bigger location such as the Ryman Auditorium.
While Obama came within a hair’s breath of Tennessee just a few weeks ago when he kicked of his general election campaign in Bristol, Virginia, he has not visited the state in a public way since June 2007.
Obama’s wife, Michelle, was in Tennessee for fundraiser this past May. The trip was made infamous when the TNGOP came out with a viral video on YouTube to “welcome” her to the state.
The video, which spliced regular folks discussing their reasons for being proud of being an American with Obama’s famous quote, “For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country,” was roundly denounced by Democrats and Republicans in the state and made national news when Barack Obama denounced the state party on Good Morning America telling the party to “lay off my wife.”
The prospect of an Obama fundraiser at Al Gore’s Belle Meade home is likely to inspire the creative juices of the same crowd who “welcomed” Michelle Obama. Gore’s Belle Meade home was made famous in February 2007 by libertarian think tank, The Tennessee Center for Policy Research, when they asserted that the home’s energy use was out of step with his persona as an environmental activist.
Most recently, that same libertarian think tank teamed up with a national group to fly a hot-air balloon over the Gore home after claims that Gore’s “green” renovations to the domicile did not result in a precipitous change in the house’s carbon footprint.
Gore, who has remained largely an apolitical figure of late, endorsed Barack Obama only after he had mathematically secured the nomination but did take the rare step of soliciting funds for him on his website coinciding with the endorsement.
Post Politics is told that final plans for the Gore hosted Obama fundraiser could be made as early as next week.
TNGOP Is Just Ahead Of The Curve
Posted on June 11, 2008 at 10:11 amThe Los Angeles Times discusses the Tennessee Republican Party’s “Proud Video” as a harbinger of things to come as their spokesman needles the local press for not covering it:
In what could be seen as a test run for future attacks, the Tennessee Republican Party last month posted a Web video crosscutting her gaffe with declarations from average folks about how they’ve always been proud of their country.
Bill Hobbs, spokesman for the Tennessee GOP, said the party was stunned and delighted by the national publicity garnered by the cheaply made video, which coincided with a fundraising visit to the state by Michelle Obama.
“Our goal was to get the local media to play that clip of what she said back in February,” Hobbs said. “The amazing thing was this thing blew up nationally before any local media even covered it.”
SEE ALSO: John Rodgers
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In Compliance: TNGOP YouTube Not On Their Site — Never Was
Posted on May 21, 2008 at 8:51 amSharon Cobb wants to know why the TNGOP’s “Proud” video is still “up” after Senator Corker asked that it be removed. Post Politics contacted Senator Corker’s office this morning and was told that they would be saying “nothing new” on the subject. TNGOP’s spokesman Bill Hobbs also had no comment on the situation.
One reason the video might still be up, however, is due to semantics. The Corker statement reads as follows:
“After the Republican National Committee damaged our campaign with their infamous ‘Call Me’ ad - which we immediately denounced - we have strongly encouraged the national party and state parties to absolutely refrain from getting involved in negative personal campaigning, and we have asked the state party to remove their You Tube ad from their Web site. Republicans will be in much better shape if we spend our time focused on issues like reducing federal spending, lowering the cost of health care and creating a coherent energy policy.”
Key words here are “their website” meaning, one would assume, the TNGOP website. And sure enough, the video is not there, never was.
Linked from there? Sure. Embedded there? No. The video is on YouTube’s website, the TNGOP’s channel, yes, but YouTube’s website.
So, if you wanted to parse words, which certain folks on both sides might be inclined to do, one could say that the TNGOP is technically in compliance with Senator Corker’s directive.
UPDATE: To be clear, neither the Office of Senator Bob Corker nor the TNGOP offered up the semantic argument. That argument is merely a hypothetical conjured up by your humble blogger.
Like Two Horses Joined Together In A Harness: Bill Hobbs And The Tennessee Guerilla Women Agree
Posted on May 20, 2008 at 10:17 amBarack Obama is sexist. Bill Hobbs defends his party’s message against outside attacks:
[D]id the Obama campaign and its allies refrain from attacking Bill Clinton for things he said in speeches he gave on behalf of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign?
No.
So, the Obama Rule is not that spouses are off-limits, just female spouses. Wives.
The Obama Rule is very, very sexist.
SEE ALSO: The patriarchal condescension of Bob Corker.
TNGOP’s Controversial Obama Video Features Former Strip Club Owner Expressing His Pride In America
Posted on at 7:58 amAndy Sher, at the end of an obligatory article on the controversy and Senatorial rebukes set off by the Tennessee Republican Party’s YouTube missive welcoming Michelle Obama to Nashville, reveals some surprising information regarding one of the “regular Americans” discussing the reasons for their pride in America in the now infamous video.
Along with other common folk, such as former state house candidate Juan Borges and a legislative staffer of state Senator Mae Beavers, one of the Americans featured in the video is a Mr. Bob Pope. Mostly known for being the namesake of many Nashville gun shows, Pope, in the early to mid 90s had a financial interest in yet another controversial business taking advantage of the constitutional liberties America provides:
One person featured in the video is Bob Pope, a Nashville-area businessman. Mr. Hobbs described Mr. Pope as a “big Second Amendment guy, runs a big gun show.”
On the GOP video, Mr. Pope, who runs Bob Pope’s Gun Shows, says, “I’m Bob Pope, and I’m proud to be an American, because mainly of the First Amendment, the right to worship God anywhere I choose to, and the Second Amendment, I get the right to keep and bear arms.”
In 1994, Mr. Pope came under criticism from state Democrats after running a full-page Nashville newspaper ad attacking statewide Democratic candidates’ stances on gun rights.
Democrats at the time contended that Mr. Pope had an ownership interest in a Nashville topless dance bar, Bob’s Gold Club. In an October 1994 interview with the then-Chattanooga Times, Mr. Pope acknowledged having a financial interest in the club.
“I am not in the direct management of it,” Mr. Pope said at the time, noting he put up money for the club four years previously as an investor.
Efforts to reach Mr. Pope on Monday through a cell phone listed on his gun show Web site were unsuccessful. Bob’s Gold Club, meanwhile, is no longer listed in telephone directories.
Asked if he had known of Mr. Pope’s 1990s’ ties to a nude dance bar, Mr. Hobbs said no.
“I’d have to know more details about the story,” Mr. Hobbs said of whether he would have used Mr. Pope in the video had he known of the connection.
While the “leave me alone” coalition has a strong history inside the Republican Party, the TNGOP has not really been known for its laissez faire attitude on moral issues.
Moderate Senators Corker and Alexander have already rebuked the state party for this video. Will this new revelation about Bob Pope lead those on the theocratic right to express their misgivings as well?
SEE ALSO:
Munday’s Mouth
Enclave
Chairman Smith, Tear Down That YouTube: Corker Calls For The TNGOP To Swallow Their “Pride”
Posted on May 19, 2008 at 5:50 pmIn the last few minutes, I received a stronger version of a statement released by Senator Bob Corker’s office in reaction to the Tennessee Republican Party’s efforts in welcoming Michelle Obama to Nashville. In the updated version, Todd Womack conveys that a request has been made by Corker’s office to take down the YouTube:
“After the Republican National Committee damaged our campaign with their infamous ‘Call Me’ ad - which we immediately denounced - we have strongly encouraged the national party and state parties to absolutely refrain from getting involved in negative personal campaigning, and we have asked the state party to remove their You Tube ad from their Web site. Republicans will be in much better shape if we spend our time focused on issues like reducing federal spending, lowering the cost of health care and creating a coherent energy policy.”
Senator Lamar Alexander has also rebuked TNGOP for their guerrilla video tactics.
The YouTube video in question, entitled “Proud”, features snippets of former Republican legislative candidates, GOP General Assembly staffers and gun show proprietors talking about why they are proud of America interspersed with clips from a Michelle Obama speech in which she declared that “for the first time” she was proud of this country based on its embrace of her husband’s candidacy.
As of this posting, the video still appears on the TNGOP’s YouTube channel.
SEE ALSO: Bill Hobbs, communications director for the TNGOP, cites the liberal media to back his claim that candidate spouses are fair game.
Tennessee’s Republican Senators Rebuke TNGOP’s Tactics [UPDATED]
Posted on at 2:56 pmThe office of Senator Bob Corker has today echoed the statements of Barack Obama regarding the Tennessee GOP’s attack on Michelle Obama.
When asked how the Senator viewed the Tennessee Republican Party’s dredging up of an old comment regarding Michelle Obama’s pride in our country and Barack Obama’s subsequent response that the TNGOP was “low class” and should “lay off his wife”, Senator Corker’s Chief of Todd Womack responded with the following statement:
“After what the Republican National Committee did to our campaign with their infamous ‘Call Me’ ad - which we immediately denounced - we have strongly encouraged the national party and state parties to absolutely refrain from getting involved in negative personal campaigning, and we have asked the state party to remove their You Tube ad from their Web site. Republicans will be in much better shape if we spend our time focused on issues like reducing federal spending, lowering the cost of health care and creating a coherent energy policy.”
These words are similar to comments made by Senator Corker in the Washington Post laying blame on the RNC’s infamous ad for putting at risk his close 2006 election campaign with Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.
The request by Corker for the state party to refrain from getting involved in this type of negative campaigning also brings to mind, of course, an earlier episode in TNGOP history.
Back in February of this year, Senator Lamar Alexander, Senator John McCain, the RNC and other prominent Republican politicians called into question another TNGOP press release on the Obama family.
The release titled “Anti-Semites for Obama” which, in addition to calling attention to Obama’s alleged “anti-semitic ties”, used Obama’s middle name in an inflammatory manner and displayed a picture of the Senator in Somali tribal wear misidentified as Muslim garb.
“Anti-Semites for Obama” was removed from the TNGOP website only after repeated calls to do so by the state’s senior Senator, Lamar Alexander.
UPDATE: A statement from Senator Lamar Alexander’s spokesman, Lee Pitts:
“There are probably better ways to communicate our pride in America, and we need to focus on those.”
UPDATE II: The Corker statement has been updated with a request for the removal of the YouTube.
The Tennessee GOP Message Travels Around The World
Posted on at 10:47 amBill Hobbs comes right back at Barack Obama after the candidate called his party out on Good Morning America:
You can’t send your wife out on the campaign trail to give campaign speeches and do fund-raisers on your behalf and then complain that she gets a little criticism. And if you think she ought not get public scrutiny, then you probably shouldn’t take her with you onto Good Morning America and condescendingly demand she be left out of the spotlight.
SEE ALSO:
Number 9
Roundtable
Tiny Cat Pants
Jake Tapper
The National Review
Huffington Post
Prez Vid
Chicago Tribune
Talking Points
David Oatney
The Ground Game
Donkey’s Mouth
Americablog
TNGOP Calls Democrats Cranky Babies For Reacting To A Press Release Designed To Provoke A Reaction
Posted on May 16, 2008 at 4:43 pmThe communications shop of the Tennessee Republican Party responds to the controversy that has erupted over its release of a web video castigating Michelle Obama on the day of her visit to Nashville and attempts to begin a constructive dialogue with its counterpart at the Democratic Party:
The web video showed a series of Nashvillians talking about various reasons why they are proud of America. The video did not “attack” or demean Mrs. Obama, it merely contrasted her remarks with the remarks of several average Tennesseans.
The response from the Left: many angry, often foul-mouthed emails, phone calls and web comments declaring the video racist and worse.
The Tennesseee Democrat Party called the video “deplorable” and “grotesque.” We’re guessing they’re hoping most people won’t have seen it and realize that it was just a light-hearted jab.
What is truly deplorable is that Democrats and Obama supporters are hoping to shield Obama and his campaign and its surrogates from almost any criticism, disagreement or dissent by tagging such things as a “distraction,” as “partisanship, and as “racism and “bigotry.”
“Rather than labeling every criticism of Barack Obama as ‘racist,’ and rather than whining about tough talk from their opponents, the Tennessee Democrat Party might want to ask Mrs. Obama to tone down her language,” said Robin Smith, Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party. “They also might want to encourage other their party elites to stop accusing fellow Democrats of racism because they didn’t vote for Obama, as became common after Obama’s crushing defeat in the West Virginia primary.”
SEE ALSO: Bill Hobbs cites an online poll backing up the TNGOP’s broadside against Michelle Obama.
Like What Ya Did There
Posted on at 12:05 pmThe Tennessee Democratic Part deftly melds Bob Corker’s admissions about his 2006 Senate campaign with the actions of the Tennessee Republican Party yesterday in a nifty little release:
Sen. Bob Corker today dubbed his own 2006 campaign advertisements against U.S. Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. “grotesque.” Now, do the junior and senior senators from Tennessee have the courage to halt the Tennessee Republican Party’s deplorable tactics asked Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Gray Sasser.
“TNGOP Chairwoman Robin Smith and company have tarnished the reputation of the entire state with their grotesque political attacks: they have perpetuated lies about a candidate’s religion, they have attacked a candidate’s wife, they have equated the war in Iraq to a religious crusade, and they have defied the request of Senator Lamar Alexander to remove at least one of those claims from their website,” Sasser continued.
“It’s high time for Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander to put a stop to the Tennessee Republican Party’s shameful tactics; they are beneath the dignity of voters- Republicans, Democrats, and Independents- in the state of Tennessee.”
Meeting Michelle
Posted on at 11:23 amNashvillest has an exclusive report from yesterday’s closed to media fundraiser featuring Michelle Obama:
Thursday, March 15th Mrs.Obama appeared at a fundraiser for her husband, Senator and presidential hopeful Barack Obama right here in Nashville, TN. A small crowd of roughly 100 people, including 2 undecided superdelegates, arrived at a private West Nashville residence to greet Mrs. Obama in support of her husband’s campaign and to hear her remarks.
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Open Season On Cindy McCain?
Posted on at 10:43 amThe Southern Beale thinks the Tennessee Republican Party may have opened a can of worms criticizing Michelle Obama:
So, let’s get this straight. Michelle Obama made a remark at a speech that quite obviously wasn’t supposed to be taken literally. Still it causes massive pearl-clutching among the flag-wavers and pin-wearers on the right who demand empty displays of patriotism to reaffirm their belief we are the greatest nation evah.
Cindy McCain is a drug addict who supported her habit with narcotics theft. Our nation’s prisons are full of men and women who have done less. Yet because she is rich and powerful she gets off scott-free.
And no one in the media will mention this because the Republicans will say candidates’ spouses are off limits.
Going Against The Way Things Go Down
Posted on at 9:25 amKatie Allison Granju wonders whether Bill Hobbs is making a mess of things by mixing his roles as insurgent neoconservative blogger with that of of his day job — Communications Director of the Tennessee Republican Party:
My guess is that state GOP insiders are getting increasingly uncomfortable with this stuff. After all, everyone knows there’s a role inside political parties and campaigns for the Karl Rove guy - that guy who quietly and stealthily drops the bombs on behalf of the party or campaign, without getting party leaders’ hands too dirty by tying their names directly to the attacks. But that guy generally keeps a very low profile. You probably don’t know his name, or even where his office is located. He’s the party hitman, and like all good hitmen, he keeps his head down and moves through crowds unnoticed.
Bill Hobbs certainly breaks the mold of the traditional party spokesman and there is no doubt that he has his detractors who hold true to the old ways but there is one thing you must admire about Hobbs: his stubborn resistance to conformity.
Let’s face it, most of us, in the face of criticism, when confronted by the disdain of the “powers that be”, will back down. We will relent. We will conform. We will adapt to the wishes of those more powerful than us.
Even if we believe we are doing right, even if we are confident that the path we have chosen is the one of ultimate success, that twinge of doubt along with the cacophony of criticism will cause our confidence to wilt. We will go with the flow, we will not buck. We will convince ourselves that the reward is simply not worth the risk.
There is a well-worn, traditional way to be a party spokesman. We all know what it is. Bill Hobbs knows what it is. But Hobbs, he has a different way. And when people tell him he is doing it wrong and that he cannot go against the “way things work” he says, “Screw that mess” and follows his own path.
Say what you want about the man’s ideology, say what you want about the man’s tactics, both of which may be abhorrent to you but what you cannot say is that the man lacks courage. Bill Hobbs has looked into the face of adversity and power and risked annihilation because he believes he has a job to do and he’s gonna do it, no matter what anyone says.
How many amongst us have done that? Not many, I imagine.
SEE ALSO:
Newscoma
Enclave
Crone Speaks
Southern Beale
You Know How We Do: The TNGOP Makes National News Again With Its Reverse Crush On Obama
Posted on May 15, 2008 at 7:40 pmIf the goal of a communications shop is to get publicity for its organization, then the TNGOP has no equal. They did it once. Now they’ve gone and done it again.
THE FRUITS OF THE LABOR:
Jonathan Martin
Political Ticker
CNN
Fox News
Comedy Central
Huffington Post
Mark Halperin
The Associated Press
PREVIOUSLY:
The TNGOP Welcomes Michelle Obama To Nashville
Blogger Gets The High Hat From Obama Folks
The TNGOP Welcomes Michelle Obama To Nashville
Posted on at 11:16 amBill Hobbs and crew give a YouTube shout out to Michelle Obama upon her visit to Nashville later this afternoon.
Michelle Obama To Headline Nashville Fundraiser Thursday
Posted on May 11, 2008 at 8:15 pmKen Whitehouse breaks the news that First Lady-in-waiting and vigorous opponent of a “dream ticket”, Michelle Obama, will be headlining an afternoon fundraiser right here in Music City for her husband’s presidential campaign on Thursday, May 15th. The shindig is set to be held at the home of Cyndee and Jerry Martin.
Mr. Martin, an attorney at the firm of Barrett, Johnston & Parsley, previously served as David Briley’s finance chairman for his 2007 Mayoral run and in 2002 was the campaign finance director for Jim Cooper’s inaugural 5th District Congressional campaign.
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